Elysian Farm's Story

 Heather Fraser and Glen Jones reside on a 90ha multiple occupancy property known as Elysian Farm in the Lismore Shire. The community include 11 shares of rural residential living occupied by like-minded individuals who have come together to live on, care for and preserve the ecological values of the property. Shareholders run beef cattle as a land management tool for weed control and fire protection. Together, the Elysian Farm community has successfully protected 42% of the property under a Voluntary Conservation Agreement with DPIE in-perpetuity. Heather and Glen have been successful in obtaining several grant-funded bush regeneration projects and are participating in the T4T project on behalf of the Elysian Farm community. 

So where are they? Elysian Farm is located on Mackellar Range at an elevation of 300-450m. The property provides an important wildlife corridor from Bentley to the Queensland border via the Border Ranges National Park. It contains diverse vegetation communities including significant rainforest and wet sclerophyll with drier eucalypt forest on the eastern and northern slopes. Heather and Glen are glad to say they have resident Lyrebirds that frequent their property as well as Koala, Bandicoot and Pademelon. Their 'no cats and dogs' policy is in place to protect biodiversity and support the communities vision of enhancing the strategic position of the property as an important wildlife corridor, habitat refuge and carbon sink. Shareholders are involved in the local Mackellar Range Landcare Group and are currently regenerating another 8ha of forest that will provide important links for wildlife to move through neighbouring properties. 

Out of the project, Heather and Glen hope to gain knowledge of threatened species to assist with future applications for funding. They have found the assistance of contract regenerators , provided as part of the project, invaluable given the size of the property and diversity of vegetation. Meeting like-minded people and enjoying their wisdom and company are the foundations to supporting and conserving the biodiversity on Mackellar Range. 
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